Ask Aria!

H34TH4R · Post by **H34TH4R** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 7:07 am

i have 3 questions for you:

1:
how old where you when you started working for odyssey??

2:
who was your favoite person to work with??? (bernard,liz,whit ect)

3:
do you know if liz's charector was in the movie "ice princess" cause one of the charectors sounds like her!!

ARIASMOM · Post by **ARIASMOM** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:33 pm

WindowWasher wrote:
P.S.- You actually charge your daughter a fee for being her manager?

Not a fee persay... It is a commission on the work I help her (and other clients) to get . When an agent procures work they get a 10 percent commission for helping get the job booked. Managers sometimes charge their clients 15 percent but I do the 10 percent with my actors although if I got paid for the amount of work I do I would deserve 50% or more, lol. My commissions do not even start to cover my costs unless someday that client gets on a well paying series of films or a television series.

I am submitting, pitching, mailing submissions, procuring agents, getting clients marketed to casting directors, all with money of my own, no advance payments of any kind, giving a stable full of advice based on experience on every subject from photographers for headshots to agents to wardrobe for auditions (you would not think people needed that advice but many do, especially new-to-the-industry clients.) I have had to do work on casting sites and fan websites for clients and update other sites, as well as write articles for promoting a client, bios for when they are in a show, and lots of "PR" (public relations/ publicity) material. For Aria I do even more of course!

And why give that percent to some other manager when we already pay agents 10 percent and the government takes a ton of taxes from her? ? Unless some "super power" manager shows me they believe in her more than me and will get her further, the money stays in the family, and usually gets recycled around back to Aria anyway ...The commission I earn from Aria goes mostly back to Aria in some form or another, in the form of congrats gifts

when she would book a part when she was little, dinner out because we were out on auditions and would not be home at the normal hour, and occasionally gas and special things needed for the business and to promote Aria.

Aria's dad works and supports our family so it allows me the freedom to not only do homeschooling but talent manage Aria and some other kids. I would have been richer financially if I had continued my music career, but it is rewarding in other ways.

I stopped working in my music venues when Aria said she wanted to give this a go. We also agreed at that time I would try my hand at managing her. Since I know my way around in the arts and the business, I thought, "who better to work at managing her"? I think I have done a decent job. For one, I was the person who found her the Land Before Time 5 audition and the agent and I worked together on getting it for her because the auditions were closed. She went in, auditioned and got the job. She started that job at age 8 and is still doing the voice of Ducky 10 years later!

Even if one does not "manage" their own child, it still takes full time effort for any stage parent. (for lack of a better term to call us/them) They have to drive to countless auditions, drive to all jobs, all lessons and training and rehearsals, sign all paperwork, be on set at all times (UNPAID) OR PAY SOMEONE ELSE (emphasis on PAY) if they themselves or a nice trusted relative cannot be there, basically be looking out for their child's best interest at all times, in a world where they, as "the acting kid's parents", are considered "baggage", a necessary-in-the-way "evil", by most production people on a set. It is not all fun and games.

There are ways being a stage parent can be similar to being a soccer mom / sports parent/den mother. But in significant ways very different!!!! For example, regular parents are not required to be at their teen's "McDonald's" job with the kid every day are they? , This is where it is totally different. One parent has to be with the children on set or pay someone else to be there. Through experience we get to "know the ropes". We know our kids the best so if a parent decides to try their hand at managing I say bravo. Most stage parents we know are wonderful people. The very occasional (and well publicized) "stage parents from heck" do come along and give everyone a bad name.

Several moms have become managers and are great ones. (not the tyrannical Macaulay Culkin dad type) . Good ones include Tia, Tamera and Tahj Mowry's mom, Vanessa Lee Chester's mom, (Robin) Kimberly J. Brown's mom, (Diane) among others. Some moms became regular agents, (rather than managers) like the moms of Jason Hervey, Cameryn Grimes, (her grandma actually) Kirk Cameron and Candace Cameron (What a great agent their mom Barbara was!!) and a few more! We all have other clients besides our kids. Some of these parent agent/managers started management with just their child and then branched out, others had many clients at the start, some keep managing other kids, even when their child is not doing acting any longer, and a few are retired now.

Well, hope that answers your question.

I say all of this, NOT to laud myself by the way, but so that you can have a better understanding of what all goes into the process for acting kids and for all stage parents and for those who represent the kids on all levels.
Bless You. O:

Ariastar87 · Post by **Ariastar87** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:53 pm

Jimmy Barclay wrote:
Aria, what did you think of the novacom saga ?

Also, was Annabell in Clara the same girl who plays Liz (Lauren S.)

No it was not Lauren Schaffel, I think the actress' name was Rachel Crane.
Remind me again sometime soon to answer the Novacom question!!

skaterfreak555 wrote:
I have 3 questions for you:

1: How old where you when you started working for odyssey??

2: Who was your favorite person to work with??? (bernard,liz,whit ect)

3: Do you know if Liz's character was in the movie "ice princess" cause one of the characters sounds like her!!

1. I was about 7 or 8 I think.

2. I love working with everyone, especially the ones you mentioned! There is another guy Corey Burton who does a million voices who is really fun to work with too!

3. I do not think so but it is possible that the actress for Liz, Lauren Schaffel, could be in it somehwere as one of the voices. She does a lot of voice work! And. Sometimes they do not credit all the voices. Lauren's IMDb page is http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0769810/ and The Ice Princess page is at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0396652/combined so you can cross reference and check.

I am trying to get Lauren to come to this forum to answer some questions. Bye for now!

edit: please aviod double posts! -dancer02248

kellyj · Post by **kellyj** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:08 pm

Hey Aria
Thanks for answering all these questions. I have two for you.
1. Did you have a good Christmas?

2. And if you could be on the writting staff on Odyssey for one week and had the chance to write an episode what would your story inculde and what characters would be in it?

Have a good new year

Arwen · Post by **Arwen** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 7:58 pm

Ariastar87 wrote: I think the actress' name was Rachel Crane.

Augh! I know a Rachel Crane!! (but I also know that it wasn't her...)

Jimmy Barclay Fan · Post by **Jimmy Barclay Fan** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 9:14 pm

ok cool thanks.

WindowWasher · Post by **WindowWasher** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 12:09 am

Melody, thanks for the in-depth explaination! I didn't realize all the expenses that are involved.

MITCH · Post by **MITCH** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 12:21 pm

I don't have a question at the moment.

I just want to thank Aria for her great work! Odyssey is really a blessing to me and many, many people. I thank God for everyone who made it possible! $\:D/$

COWBOY OF TEXAS · Post by **COWBOY OF TEXAS** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 2:17 am

"Gentlemen never wear brown in London."
-Lord Curzon

-Cowboy

Kris Doyle · Post by **Kris Doyle** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 4:15 am

Where did ^that^ come from, CoT?

snowflake · Post by **snowflake** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 5:25 pm

I love Mandy!

I guess that means I love you...you do a really good job. Are there many new shows with you in it? Do you listen to Odyssey when they air on the radio? It might be kinda weird to listen to yourself and all your friends

one more question...the '87' in your username...does that mean you were born in 87 making you 19? (did i do the math right...

)

Keep up the great work Aria! (did I mention that I really like you name...I don't think so...I really like your name!)

H34TH4R · Post by **H34TH4R** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 7:50 am

i noticed on your website that you were in sabrina the teenage *gasp* whitch dont you consider whitches very un christian???

poWerbOy · Post by **poWerbOy** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 9:57 am

Where did the name Aria come from? Were you named after someone, or was it just a name your parents' liked?

Kris Doyle · Post by **Kris Doyle** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:45 pm

Did your parents name you Aria after the type of classical music? That would be cool!

H34TH4R · Post by **H34TH4R** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 7:48 am

they probaly did kris i never knew aria was a name.

Ariastar87 · Post by **Ariastar87** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:34 pm

Hi everyone!
Sorry I have been Away and not answering questions for so long. As I'm sure you all can understand, I have been pretty busy, especially with organizing for the new year, and starting the Land Before Time series last week. I will try over the next few days to a week, to go over all the unanswered questions and give a go at answering them.
Hope you all had a lovely New years!
God bless,
Aria

COWBOY OF TEXAS · Post by **COWBOY OF TEXAS** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 1:54 am

-Cowboy

Kris Doyle · Post by **Kris Doyle** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 7:39 pm

COWBOY OF TEXAS wrote:

-Cowboy

Cowboy, I just now browsed the article this picture refers to, and I must say it's an interesting concept--especially if...

...Melody and Aria, could Lady Mary Leiter Curzon have possibly been a relative of yours on Mr. Curzon's side of the family?

COWBOY OF TEXAS · Post by **COWBOY OF TEXAS** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:29 pm

F_F siggie-sized it. $\:D/$

-Cowboy

ariasdad · Post by **ariasdad** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:10 pm

This is AriasDad writing...

Thanks to Cowboy of Texas for the Lord Curzon quotes. And to Kris Doyle, that certainly is an interesting question you asked, is Aria related to Lady Mary Leiter Curzon?

The answer is ... Maybe.

It is possible that Aria is a direct descendant of Lord George Nathaniel Curzon. If so, she would be his great-great-granddaughter. And therefore related to Lady Mary Leiter Curzon through marriage.

Best regards,

Chris Curzon

The Town of Odyssey

Ask Aria!

Thank you

Related to Lady Mary Leiter Curzon?